The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced final disapproval of the flexible air quality permit program that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has used for the last 16 years.
EPA determined that the program does not meet Clean Air Act requirements. It allows companies to lump together emissions from multiple units under a single “cap” rather than setting specific emission limits for individual pollution sources.
As a result of the decision, about 140 refineries and petrochemical plants in the state will have to apply for new air permits.
The issue has become a major flashpoint for states’ rights advocates. Texas Governor Rick Perry insists the Obama administration is overreaching it authority.
Read Associated Press coverage at the link below.
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